Mechanism for transmitting power from windmill-shafts



(Numan.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. A. S.v BAKER.

MEGHANISM POR TRANSMITTING'POWBR PROM WINDMILL SHAPTS.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A. s. BAKER. A lMEGHANISM FOR TRANSMITTING POWER FROM WINDMILL SHA-PTS. u

No. 256,616.' Patented-Apr. 18,1882- HHI [reve/lm" Jaded:

n. ms, mmm. Mm pzc.

.wheel out of the wind.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN S. BAKER, OF EVANSVILLE, WISCONSIN.

lVlECHANlSM FOR TRANSMlTTlNG POWER FROM WlNDlVllLL-SHFTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,616, dated April 18, 1882.

Application filed March 9, 1882.

To all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that I, ALLEN S. BAKER, of Evansville, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and nsefulImprovement in Mechanisms for Transmitting Power from Windmill-Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

It is well understood that in geared power windmills for operating feed-grinders orother machinery requiring arotary motion the gearing employed allows the driven machinery to react on the turn-table ofthe mill, tending to twist the same around and throw the wind- Varions means have been devised for obviating this reacting twisting tendency, among which may be mentioned swiveled reciprocating connections acting in only one direction and others acting in both directions and swiveled and compensating gearing.

The object I have in view is to produce still other means for obviating the reacting twisting tendency in powerwindmills, which means will be much more simple in construction and durable in use than those heretofore proposed, and will transmit a larger per cent. of the power to the driven machinery. rIhis I accomplish by the use ofan endless belt formed by chain'or wire rope, or of other snit-able.

I prefer a hand-operated device for this pur-` pose, on account of its simplicity and durability; but automatically operated or controlled mechanism can be employed to accomplish the same object.

In the drawings, which illustrate the preferred ways of carrying out my inveutiou,Fig' ure l is an elevation ofthe tower of a windinillembodying myinvention, the driven mechanism being in partial vertical section; Fig. 2,

(No model.)

a top view and partial horizontal section of another form of device for taking the twist out of the belt; Fig. 3, a vertical section and elevation of the form of device shown in Fig.

2, the part-s being adjusted to a different position; and Fig. 4, a top view and partial horizontal section ofa device for permitting the belt to be untwisted without reversing the mo- 6o tion of the line-shaft.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all four figures.

A is the wind-wheel shaft, B the turn-table,

C the tower-casting, and D. the tower, all ot' 65 any usual or suitable construction. l,On the innemend ofthe Wind-wheel shaft Ais secured a wheel, E, which is preferably a'sprocket or chain wheel.

F is an endless belt, which is preferably a 7o chain. 'It passes over wheel E, hangs down through the tower, and passes aroundanother wheel, Gr, which is a part ofthe mechanism located at or near the bottom of the tower. Wheel G is keyed to a shaft, a, which is supportedin bearings from a turn-table, b. The' turn-table b is pivoted upon the bedplatc H, and is secured in any desired position thereto by bolts c, which enter a circular slot in the bed-plate. Averticalshaft, d, passes through 8ol EI and b. At its upper end it carries a bevelgear, e, meshing with a bevel-gear,f, keyed to shaft a. The lower end of shaftd has a bevelgear, g, meshing with a bevel-gear, h,'on the line-shaft I. Gear h has a wrist-pin, i, which can be used for a pump or other reciprocating connection. By these means the driven wheel G can always be adjusted exactly in line with the wheel E on the windwvheel shaft, so as to take the twist out of the belt, the line-shaft I 9o being always driven in the same direction.

Experience has shown that the wind changes a few degreesonly in the course of twentyfour hours, usually not more than from fortyve to ninety degrees, and rarely over one hundred and eighty degrees. These changes I find do not materially affect the working ot' a chain or wire-rope endless belt, and conse,- quently the adjustment made at startingwill generally suflice for the entire day. Hence it will be seen that the mechanism requires but little attention, and being located at or near the bottom of the tower it can be readily cared for Vwithout the loss of time'necessarily con- ICO LUC bllilb Lt/ Ulll UU bwllll', Ll`UUllLl lllll DE* cured, so that the gear j' can he made to engage either side of the gear h, or by stopping at a central position the shaft a eau be coupled directly with line-shaft I by ineens of sleeve 7c. This direct coupling can be used a great part ot' the time. It will be seen that in all three positions the lineshai`t will be driven in the same direction. y

The devices so far sneeitieally described provide for taking the twist out of the endless belt by turning the driven wheel, the chain not being removed therefrom.

Since the parts will operate satisfactorily when the belt has a twist of one hundred and eighty degrees, the twist may be taken out when that point is exceeded byremovingitfrom a wheel having a fixed position and then re placingit thereon. The motion ot' the line shaft would, however, be reversed, which is not desirable. To meet these conditions I provide the constructionshown in Fig. 4, which is adapted for two positions of the belt. The driven wheel G is mounted loosely on a flanged bearing, Z, keyed to the line-shaft I. This wheel G is made in one piece with or has se cured to it a bevel-gear, m. Gear m meshes with a bevel-gear, n, mounted upon n stud, o, from the bearing p of the line-shaft. Gear u also meshes with a gear, q, keyed to the lineendless-belt connection between the same and Y the driven mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In a windmill, the combination, with the tower, the turn-table, and the wind-wheel shaft, of a driven mechanism located at or near the bottom of the tower, and an endless-belt connection between the wind-wheel shaft sind such driven mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3; In n windmill, an endless-belt connection with the wind-wheel shaft, in combination with means for uutwisting or permitting the nntwisting of' the belt without reversing the driven mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In a windmill, the combination of the endlessbelt connection with means operated by hand for nntwsting or permitting the nntwisting of the belt without reversing the driven mechanism, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of February, 1882.

ALLEN S. BAKER.

Witnesses:

GALEB SNEERHALL, J. H. HosKrNs.

IOO 

